Key takeaways
- JPJ charges RM100 to transfer a private car and RM3 for a motorcycle, payable by card or FPX when you transfer online.
- Every private vehicle except a motorcycle needs a passed MV15 inspection first, which costs RM37.80 including SST at PUSPAKOM or a licensed centre, and the report has been valid for 120 days since 1 July 2026.
- At a JPJ counter, both the registered owner and the buyer of an individually owned car must attend in person for thumbprint verification; only company and organisation vehicles can send a representative.
- Online transfer on JPJ's public portal works for private vehicles without a permit: the seller starts it, the buyer confirms it, and it takes effect immediately, but foreigners must go to a counter.
- From 1 January 2027 only runners registered with JPJ may handle counter transactions for customers, and MyEG has been suspended as a JPJ agent since 5 October 2026.
- Your NCD belongs to you, not the car, so the seller cancels the policy as an NCD withdrawal after the transfer and the buyer must insure the car in their own name.
How do I tukar nama kereta in Malaysia, step by step?
Whether you sell to a stranger, a dealer or your own child, the JPJ process is the same. This is the order I suggest whenever someone asks me:
- Clear any blocks first. JPJ will not process a transfer if there is a finance company's ownership claim, unsettled Customs tax, a blacklist record or another registration restriction. Settle the loan and any summonses before you fix a date with the buyer.
- Pass the MV15 inspection. Every private vehicle except a motorcycle must pass an ownership transfer inspection at PUSPAKOM or a licensed inspection centre. The report is valid for 120 days, so you can do it a few weeks ahead.
- Agree the price and keep a record. MyGOV's buying and selling guide suggests a payment receipt and copies of both parties' ICs.
- Transfer online or at JPJ. Online, the seller starts the transfer on JPJ's public portal and the buyer confirms it. At a counter, both of you attend for thumbprint verification with your IC, the VOC and a completed JPJK3 form. MyGOV says both parties should attend within 7 days.
- Pay the JPJ fee. RM100 for a private car, RM3 for a motorcycle.
- Sort out insurance and road tax the same day. The buyer insures the car in their own name before driving it home, and the seller cancels their policy as an NCD withdrawal once JPJ shows the new owner.
A commercial vehicle such as a lorry or a van with a permit follows extra rules: the registered owner's permit must be cancelled first, and the online route is only for vehicles without a permit.
Renew roadtax & car insurance on WhatsApp
Can I tukar nama kereta online, or do we both have to go to JPJ?
Yes, you can do it online for a private vehicle, but 2026 has been bumpy. On 25 May JPJ suspended online transfers through its portal, kiosks and partner channels after complaints of cars transferred without the registered owner's knowledge, and the Transport Minister had the service restored the same day, with system fixes moved to long weekends. Then MyEG, one of those partner channels, was suspended as a JPJ agent from 5 October 2026 after failing to remit RM314 million it had collected. Today the straightforward choices are JPJ's own public portal or a JPJ counter.
| Online (JPJ public portal, mySIKAP) | At a JPJ counter | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can use it | Private vehicles of individuals or companies, with no permit. Not foreigners | Everyone, including foreigners, commercial vehicles and special cases |
| What you need | Seller's account upgraded to ID Advance by a one-time fingerprint check at a JPJ office, valid road tax, MV15 passed | IC, VOC, completed JPJK3 form, MV15 passed |
| Who must be there | Nobody goes to JPJ: the seller starts, the buyer confirms from their own account | Both owner and buyer in person for thumbprints, for individually owned cars |
| Fee and payment | RM100 car, RM3 motorcycle, by debit or credit card or FPX | The same JPJ fee |
| How long | Immediately after the buyer confirms | Done on the day, after the queue |
The online column comes from MyGOV's page for the service, which JPJ runs as a hybrid service: the seller's first step online, then the buyer's confirmation. JPJ's FAQ adds two rules that catch people out: the same ID cannot act as both registered owner and new owner, and foreigners cannot transfer online. If your buyer holds a work permit, plan for a counter visit.
Protect your login. Online transfer is quick, which is exactly why fraudsters like it. Never give a buyer, a dealer or a runner your JPJ password, one-time codes or MyDigital ID approval, even "just to help".
Runners from 2027. From 1 January 2027, only intermediaries registered with JPJ, holding a JPJ digital ID valid for two years, may transact for customers at JPJ offices. Registration opened on 1 November 2026. JPJ says it has no business relationship with these runners and will not be responsible for disputes with them. For an individually owned car, a runner cannot give your thumbprint for you anyway, so if you use one, check their JPJ ID and get the fee in writing.
How much does tukar nama kereta cost in 2026?
A normal private car has only two official charges: JPJ's transfer fee and the MV15 inspection. Anything else, such as a runner's or a dealer's handling charge, is a private price.
| Item | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| JPJ transfer fee, private vehicle | RM100 | Paid online or at the counter |
| JPJ transfer fee, motorcycle | RM3 | No inspection needed |
| MV15 ownership transfer inspection | RM37.80 including SST | Rate set by JPJ, the same at PUSPAKOM and licensed centres; PUSPAKOM lists the inspection itself at RM30 |
| B7 hire purchase inspection | RM60 | Only when the buyer takes a loan on the used car |
| Runner or dealer service | Not regulated | From 2027, only JPJ registered runners at counters |
The JPJ fees come from MyGOV, the inspection fees from PUSPAKOM's fee page, and the RM37.80 from the Transport Minister, as reported by Utusan. The Finance Ministry has described the transfer fee as up to RM100 depending on the vehicle type and where it is registered, so read the amount on screen or at the counter before you pay.
You no longer need PUSPAKOM for MV15. Licensed private centres now also do ownership transfer inspections for private vehicles: the first eight were set to open from 16 June 2026, including Glenmarie, Kajang and Klang in Selangor and Wangsa Melawati in Kuala Lumpur, and more have launched since. In September the Transport Minister said these centres cannot charge more than the rate JPJ sets, that a scheduled inspection takes under 20 minutes and that results go straight to JPJ. The MV15 report has been valid for 120 days since 1 July 2026, up from 60. For booking steps and what the inspectors check, see my PUSPAKOM guide.
Worked example (illustration only). Assumptions: a private car sold between two individuals in Peninsular Malaysia, using the official fees above; runner fees and the booking fee and SST on a B7 are not included.
| Situation | Official charges | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Cash sale, transferred online | MV15 RM37.80 + JPJ RM100 | RM137.80 |
| Buyer takes a used car loan | MV15 RM37.80 + B7 RM60 + JPJ RM100 | RM197.80 |
| Parent gives the car to an adult child | MV15 RM37.80 + JPJ RM100 | RM137.80 |
| Motorcycle sold for cash | JPJ RM3 | RM3 |
Who pays is between you and the other party; JPJ does not decide it, so agree it before booking the inspection.
What documents do I need? Family, company, loan and other cases
JPJ's voluntary transfer guide and its guide for other transfers start from the same basics: identity documents, the VOC (Vehicle Ownership Certificate) and a completed JPJK3 form, or JPJK3A for the non-voluntary cases. On top of that, each situation needs something different.
| Situation | What JPJ needs | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Sale between two individuals | Both identity cards, VOC, JPJK3, MV15 passed | Both attend for thumbprints at a counter, or do it online |
| Giving the car to a spouse, child or parent | The same as a sale | MV15 still applies, and the NCD stays with the giver |
| Company car sold to a director, staff or anyone else | SSM Corporate Information, a board resolution approving the sale signed by the directors, an appointment letter for the representative | JPJ's FAQ says Corporate Information alone is enough, with no Form 9 |
| Car still under a hire purchase loan | It cannot be transferred while the finance company's ownership claim is on record | Settle the loan and confirm the claim is removed first; a buyer's new loan needs a B7 |
| Registered owner living overseas | A passport copy certified by the Malaysian embassy, and a statutory declaration approving the sale, certified by an embassy officer | Allow time for the embassy |
| Registered owner cannot be found | A court order | Speak to a lawyer early |
| Car written off, beyond economic repair or stolen, and paid by insurance | The insurer's claim offer letter, proof the compensation was paid and received, and the discharge and indemnity form | This is how the car passes to the insurer after a total loss claim |
| Registered owner has died | One estate document, such as a Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration | See the next section |
| Commercial vehicle with a permit | The permit cancelled first, plus letters from APAD, LPKP or the Ministry of Tourism where relevant | Online transfer is not available |
Bring originals and a few photocopies. If the counter doubts a signature, JPJ's FAQ says small differences can be accepted, but a clearly different one will hold the transfer up.
How do I transfer a car when the owner has died?
Families often ask me this after a funeral, because the car is still needed every day. A car is part of the estate, so JPJ moves it only once someone has legal authority over that estate. JPJ's guide accepts one of these, certified by the body that issued it:
- a Grant of Probate, when there is a will;
- Letters of Administration, when there is no will;
- a High Court order;
- a distribution order under the Small Estates (Distribution) Act 1955, certified by the Department of Director General of Lands and Mines;
- a distribution directive letter from AmanahRaya;
- for Muslim estates, a Faraid order certified by the Syariah Court.
If other heirs give up their share of the car, JPJ may also ask for a statutory declaration from them, made before a government Commissioner for Oaths, a Magistrate or a Judge. The heir who becomes the new owner attends JPJ in person for biometric verification, and the car still needs its MV15 inspection.
What I suggest while you wait for the estate papers:
- Keep the car insured and its road tax valid, and tell the insurer or the agent about the death before the next renewal, because the policy is in the late owner's name.
- Do not sell the car informally. Until the estate document is issued, nobody can sign the transfer for the late owner.
- Expect the NCD to stay behind. It belongs to the late owner's policy, so the heir's discount comes from their own record.
Which route your family takes depends on whether there was a will and what the estate holds; my estate administration guide explains each one. A will with a named executor lets the family apply for probate, which is usually quicker than Letters of Administration.
What happens to my car insurance, NCD and road tax when I sell?
JPJ moves the car. It does not move your insurance, and this is where people lose money they did not need to lose.
| Seller | Buyer | |
|---|---|---|
| NCD | Belongs to the named policyholder and can only move to a vehicle registered in the same owner's name | Comes from your own record, never from the car you bought |
| Policy | Cancel it once JPJ shows the new owner, and ask the insurer to process it as an NCD withdrawal | Buy a policy in your own name before you drive the car home; motor insurance is legally required |
| Money | Great Eastern General's private car PDS, for example, gives a partial refund at short-period rates on cancellation if no claim was made, subject to a minimum premium | Check the sum insured against the car's market value |
| Paperwork | Keep the NCD withdrawal confirmation letter for your next car | Give your insurer any withdrawal letter from your previous car |
| Road tax | Nothing more to do after the transfer | If it has expired, renew it together with insurance in your name |
This is what the NCD is worth on a private car, according to PIAM. It is the discount you protect by withdrawing it properly when you sell:
| Claim-free years | NCD on a private car |
|---|---|
| 1 year | 25% |
| 2 years | 30% |
| 3 years | 38.33% |
| 4 years | 45% |
| 5 years and above | 55% |
Timing matters. Until JPJ records the change, you are still the registered owner, so keep your cover until the transfer is done. PIAM also notes that if you move the NCD to a new car but keep the old car insured, an extra premium is due for the remaining period; once the old policy is cancelled, none is. For buyers, Bank Negara Malaysia reminds you to check the market value, the sum insured and the average clause. Before you buy, you can check your NCD online for free.
What should I do next, and where can Lulu help?
The JPJ transfer itself is between you, the other party and JPJ, and I do not handle transfers or act as a runner. Where I can help is everything around it:
- Just bought a used car? Send me the model, the year and your previous policy, and I will explain the cover, sum insured and NCD questions before you insure it.
- Just sold or given away a car? I will walk you through cancelling the policy as an NCD withdrawal so the discount follows you to your next car.
- Road tax coming due? I arrange car insurance and road tax renewal on WhatsApp for cars, e-hailing and lorries. I do not do motorcycles.
- Handling a late parent's car? I can explain the insurance side, and as a Rockwills representative I can help you write a will so your own family has an easier time later.
I advise in Mandarin, English and Cantonese in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, with no hard selling. WhatsApp me at 016-914 0086, and please do not send your MyKad number in the first message.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Fees and rules are taken from the JPJ, MyGOV and PUSPAKOM pages listed below as of 6 November 2026; JPJ's latest notices take priority.